Twittering Machines

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Wonder Women
The History of the Girl Group Sound / Volume I 1961 – 1964

I just love this fabulous tear-jerker fluff – The Shangri-Las, Claudine Clark, The Chiffons, Evie Sands, Betty Everett, The Jelly Beans, Ellie Greenwich, Dixie Cups, Jaynetts, The Sisters, The Ad Libs and The Paris Sisters. This was ‘factory’ music where songwriter, arranger, producer and finally group collaborated on the song in search of the hit record.

We call singers who sing other people’s songs interpreters and there may be some sort of magic hidden in this formula – the singer is moved by someone else’s words and this movement can force some searching down different emotional avenues as opposed to singing one’s own songs. Or so I’d like to imagine.

Wonder Women comes complete with a super groovy ‘switch card’ (The Shangri-Las/Dixie Cups) bubble gum-colored cover and more love-torn lost lovers than you can shake a chiffon at. Released on Rhino Records way back in 1982.

Fox River Rockford Red Heel Socks
$12.00 / 2 pair

2-pair pack with instructions to make the sock monkey included. A super-soft everyday work sock.

* Soft, natural cotton provides breathability and absorbency
* Smooth, flat toe seam
* Dimensional knit for a foot hugging fit
* Any size sock can be used to produce a sock monkey doll.
* Sock monkey instructions included with every pack.

Temperature: Temperate
Weight: Light weight
Height/Type: Crew

Messiaen
L’Ascension / Le Banquet Celeste / Apparition de l’Englise eternelle

I wish I knew more. French composer, organist, and ornithologist Olivier Messiaen’s music is always a pleasant shock. It’s like you think you’re having desert but then you find blood in your Crêpe Suzette.

This is the first record I have of Messiaen’s organ music and it’s simply beautiful, harrowing and surprisingly touching. Just like that time JD played Quatuor pour la fin du temps near the end (thankfully) of a Monkeyhaus, when you really listen to his music you feel like you’ve been hit by a bus lifted by birds.

Or as Stephen said so well: “You sit back and listen as your blood stops still to Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time“

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Me and Greg Fortino (and me and Jimi) in my room c.1980 dare I say — jammin’? I had a used Electra X930 “Vulcan” (and fishnet on my ceiling – yeah baby) which included the very fine “MPC” feature…

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Home-made pink snowballs upstairs,

Zola Jesus downstairs.

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Look what we tried last night.  After a hard day of playing audio retailer, this proved the perfect salve for long day of blabbing and demo-ing.

A Rogue beer

This one is a little on the dark side.  When held aloft this brew  receives a resounding ‘F’ on the light test.  Remarkably, this lager is extremely well balanced, avoiding the tendency to be sweet at the expense of subtlety and flavour.  Coffee and mocha lead the way with good hop-age on the follow through.  Think cafe mocha for the thirsty or chocolate milk for grown ups!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to great places!
You’re off and away!

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Man, my disposition is always sunnier after spinning this one.  Fantastic Zambian fuzz guaranteed to brighten even the darkest of winter days.

Maybe it’s the tennis ball yellow vinyl that conjures those summer-y images ….

Not quite sure if I agree with them being Africa’s answer to Cream but very fuzzy, very cool and pretty much stoned.  EC never made a record this good!

Don Cherry
Eternal Rhythm

Recorded on Nov. 11 and 12, 1968 and released in 1969 Eternal Rhythm is Don’s “record of love” and “unity in sound and rhythm”. Leaning on the gamelan music from Bali for inspiration, Cherry plays a few flutes, gamelan, Haitian gourd and his cornet. He’s joined by Albert Manglesdorff and Eje Thelin on trombone, Bernt Rosengren on tenor sax, oboe, clarinet and flute, Sonny Sharrock guitar, Karl Berger on vibes, piano and gamelan, Joachim Kuhn on piano and prepared piano, Arild Andersen bass and Jacques Thollot on drums, gamelan, gong , bells and voice.

What, exactly, does all this add up to? Terry Riley deconstructed by mad free jazz musicians? Well yea, kinda. This record builds, slows, and builds again. And again. Peaceful serenity boils over into ecstatic near-chaotic reverie but we’re repeatedly grounded by repetition. The rhythm in the title is more implied than played, coming in huge waves of energy. Side 2 will give your chills the chills.

A big bad ballsy sonic mantra and another incredibly beautiful slice of late ’60s magical musical moments captured.

Here’s the limited 7″ that comes with Kris’s latest LP.
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Messenger Girls side B.

More info @ www.uzuaudio.com.

Hermes, Croc Birkin =  $39,000.00

I’m tired. OK, I’m sick and tired of audiophiles pretending that performance is the only thing that matters when selecting our hi-fi equipment and value is strictly related to parts-count-cost. Hi-fi is after all, part science, part Art, part collectible, part objet d’art and part of life. And in life, we humans can spend vast sums on intangibles. And as intangible an asset as it may seem, we entrust our hi-fi’s with a most sacred, serious and downright fun task – making our music make us pay attention to it.

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